This invention relates to a process for preparing iron powder which, e.g., can be used as the iron component in the iron-potassium perchlorate heat-powder mixture used as fuel in conventional thermal batteries. See, e.g., Jennings, "Thermal Batteries" The Primary Battery Vol. 2, John Wiley and Sons, 1976, Chapter 6; Quinn et al, "Performance Data for a Lithium-Silicon/Iron Disulfide, Long Life, Primary Thermal Battery" in Proceedings of The 29th Power Sources Conference Electrochemical Society, June 1980; Bush, "Advancements in Pellet-Type Thermal Battery Technology" Sandia Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico Report SC-RR-497A, October 1972; and Quinn et al, "Development of Lithium Alloy/Iron Disulfide 60-Minute Primary Thermal Battery", Sandia Laboratories Report 79-0814, April 1979.
Heretofore, the only iron powder available for use in preparing iron-potassium perchlorate heat-powder used as fuel in thermal batteries was the product identified as NX-1000 of Pfizer Metal and Composite Products, Pfizer, Inc., Wallingford, Connecticut. Iron which is suitable for these purposes must satisfy specification SS 344796-200 Issue B of Sandia Laboratories, which specification drawing is incorporated by reference herein as is its predecessor SS 265866-003.
Briefly, such iron powder is particularly characterized by a sponge-like physical configuration (See FIG. 1), a total iron content (as Fe) of 97% minimum, a metallic iron content of 89% minimum, an oxygen content (associated with iron) of 2.3% maximum, a Green strength (ASTM B312-56T) of 3,000-6,000 psi, preferably 4,000-6,000 psi, a Fisher subsive size of 1.5-3.5, a minimum of 70% passing through a -325 mesh and a maximum of 1.0% passing through a +100 mesh.
Of course, many processes are known for preparing iron powders. Exemplary references include British Pat. Nos. 1,286,257 and 1,288,252, Japanese Patent 72-02,020 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,827,879, 3,684,486 727,117, 727,118, 1,275,232, 2,217,569, 2,334,434, 2,441,770, 2,665,981, 2,699,387, 2,762,700, 2,818,328 2,927,016, 3,186,829, 3,494,761, and 4,046,557. However, none of these produces an iron powder which is suitable for the above-described use.
As can be seen, there has been a long lasting need for alternative sources of iron powder useful as the iron component in the pyrotechnic fuel used in thermal batteries.